Someone’s got to say it: David Kahn deserves credit. He waited out the Ricky Rubio saga and has a star of the future the Timberwolves envisioned, he waited out Rick Adelman when Adelman initially wouldn’t even interview for the position and has an early candidate for Coach of the Year, and he has Kevin Love signed. Kahn especially deserves credit because he has taken years of nonstop abuse for decisions as head of basketball operations in Minnesota, to where it has become reflexive to criticize. It is now hilarious to see the flip-flopping to jump on the Rubio bandwagon. The successes must be noted with the same passion.

The Love extension is a two-way success, by the way, no matter how many claim Kahn and owner Glen Taylor put the team at risk by refusing to include a fifth season in the deal and therefore angering their All-Star power forward. Love is signed for another 3 ½ seasons at least and possibly 4 ½, depending whether he picks up the option in 2015, and the Timberwolves still have the one max five-year deal each franchise is allotted. If R.C. Buford or Jerry West or Pat Riley had been hired in Minneapolis last weekend with the identical situation and reached the same outcome, they would be hailed for keeping Love away from a one-year deal on a qualifying offer in 2012-13 while retaining cap flexibility. This is a lot about Kahn’s reputation.

Good point by Tom Ziller at SBNation.com. Taylor is president of the Board of Governors and members of the Board of Governors obviously had a meaningful voice in lockout negotiations to curb spending. So holding the line on Love may have been more Taylor than Kahn. A lot of general managers take the public hit for decisions the owner makes on everything from coaching hires to roster decisions.

One last thing: Given Minnesota’s history as lottery regulars and his desire to be with a winning organization, Love is better off with three years plus an option at a possible $61 million rather than being locked into five years at $80 million. Easy for those of us with 80 mil already tucked away to say, sure. But the money will be there when he becomes a free agent at 25 or 26 and still in his prime. This way, he has the $61 million on top of the bankroll from the rookie deal plus the ability to blow town in 2015 if the Timberwolves are back to rowing in circles.

An unknown North Carolina opponent left a scouting report behind after playing at the Smith Center, found by media outlets , that included the analysis that forward John Henson “Hates it physical.” Figure he won’t put it high on the Draft resume. But Henson is still tracking to the second half of the lottery as a 6-foot-10 difference-maker on defense who guards multiple positions and has an instinctive nature as a shot blocker. The concern in NBA circles is the lack of an offensive game and needing to add bulk, not whether he “hates it physical.”

“I can’t deny that our record is better than I thought it would be at this time,” said George Karl, coach of the 13-5 Nuggets. “But in the same sense, after training camp, I kind of knew this team was into the season. There was an engagement by this team at a very early time. I think we continue to kind of find some pieces that go together, and their enthusiasm continues to be contagious and really proactive.”

Agree with everything David Aldridge wrote about the culture and vision of Sam Presti and the Thunder, with one addition: The Rashard Lewis sign-and-trade. Lewis was leaving the SuperSonics for Orlando no matter what. By agreeing to be in the deal rather than costing Lewis an extra season on the free-agent contract in a spiteful move, Presti got a second-round pick and, more importantly, stuck the Magic with a contract that was worse than if Lewis had left without a sign-and-trade.

Once considered a possibility to go in the first five picks of the Draft, Kentucky forward Terrence Jones has played his way out of the top 10 and is making a case for dropping out of the lottery, something impossible to imagine a year ago. “I don’t see any improvement with him,” one executive said. Jones can handle the ball at 6-foot-9 and score, but there are doubts about a true position and some say Jones has looked strangely disinterested.

I know the T-Wolves are much better than last season but seriously, enough with the hype already! They’re not even part of the playoff picture as of this moment! And Ricky Rubio, that guy is a serious ball player with huge potential of becoming an elite player in the future…but top 3 among West guards in all-star balloting? How can he be higher than guys like Monta Ellis and Kyle Lowry? Seriously NBA, ’nuff with the T-Wolves hype!

I think Rubio is getting all these votes because of the way he plays. I think the all star teams should be more like that, because I don’t want a guy that is efficient but does ugly plays. One example: Tim Duncan. This one is(or was, i don’t know) one of the best players of the last decade, but his game is not a cool one for those who want to see a show. The allstar should select the players who are capable of the prettiest plays, not the ones with the best field goal percentage or else, I would leave this stats for the end of the regular season, when the all-NBA teams are created.

prix and steven (above) are two examples of people who gives those kinds of comments because people wouldn’t know who they are. typical haters roaming on blog sites. They say “rubio is an average player at best”… wow, what an expert. I can’t imagine a rational person judging a player that hasn’t even played 20 games in the US, let alone in the NBA… I remember reading an article more than a dozen years ago that steve nash is a mediocre player, not even an average player. I wont say if rubio will be a legend or a bust when all is said and done but based on his attitude and work ethic, he has the potential to be a very successful.

Prix and steven are the type of guys who five years from now, when rubio succeeds and become a household name, will say to their friends or comment on blogsites “look at rubio, wow, he’s great, just like what i predicted before…”

Prix even said (above) “Put your team in the playoffs and win some games and maybe we can celebrate”… wow, is that how you measure a person’s talent… as a rookie? How many seasons did Jkidd languished at the bottom with the mavs at the start of his career.

The T-Wolves are a very promising young team. With a lineup of Rubio, Wes Johnson, Beasley, Derrick Williams, and Love, Minnesota has a huge chance of making the playoffs and making it far. Rick Adelman would HAVE to be COY after that. Kahn is doing a really great job as the GM. His belief will take them to new heights, even making their first ever NBA Finals appearance (which is better than they did with Garnett). I believe in them also. They deserve this hype, they truly do. Minnesota, I want you guys to win a ring with this team. Just don’t beat the Knicks and we’re all good. 😉

David Kahn is not gettiing enuff attention as I see it as a long time Wolves fan. He or we are getting the last laugh with Darko Milic and went and got Pekovic. Jonny Flynn worked until he got hurt. Rubio promised and he came to Minnesota, and signing Love was a good move. Dont 4get, it is Minnesota so 4 yrs is good to keep him. Also the second Lebron went to Miami, who went and got Beasley. He also got a 3 pt shooter with Martell Webster but he needs to be healthy. And I cant believe what Kurt Rambis was doing with this team. He must of rubbed shoulders with Phil Jackson a lil too much. The triangle could never work with this young team. Coach Adelman is going in the right direction. Thanks for seeing Kahn made the right moves.

People forget that being young helps them down the road. The other older teams will worn out after playing so many games in a packed schedule. They’ve got a chance to be a real nightmare to play against late in the year.

What many people in the USA don´t understand is that Rubio, though being considered a rookie being his first NBA year, has played as a pro in Europe at top level since he was 16.
Guys, he doesn´t come from High School, no way, he comes from the second best hoop competition in the world: The SPANISH League, and that´s as close to Nba as it can be, which is a helluva lot

David Kahn might be the only GM that believes the timberwolves might have a shot at winning a championship. Every other NBA follower is upset that he didn’t sign Love at 5 years and didn’t give him the highly sought after “franchise player” tag. They believe the best the wolves can do is love. But Kahn actually believes that wolves can be more. That is perhaps the most noble aspect of his personality.

I can guarantee you guys that T-Wolves will make it to the playoffs and will participate in the playoffs regularly after 2 or 3 seasons. Guys, this team is YOUNG but their basketball IQ’s are off the charts. Imagine how Love, Rubio, Derrick, and Beasley would play after 3 years.

Who are you kidding Prix? These Timberpups are one of the most exciting teams in league. They will make the playoffs and have a great chance of upsetting whoever they play in the first round. They have one 5 out of 7 with half of their team injured. Rubio is a lock for rookie of the year, Love is a legit MVP candidate, Adelman is coach of the year so far and Kahn has a shot at executive of the year. Quit hating. These Pups are on the up and up.

Nobody even knew the future yet if they are the new Oklahoma Thunder or not, but there are some group of individuals already putting negative thoughts against the team, same treatment the Oklahoma Thunder received back then.

twolves will make the playoffs this year, they are playing great and are in the toughest division in the league, this young team deserves even more credit than they are getting and rubio-love is the dominant duo of the future.

These T wolves might not make the playoffs, but they have already beaten several good teams with tons of veterans, and hung in really close to some other good teams like Miami. Steven, Rubio is a way above average rookie, and has kept even with some top point gaurds, and outplayed Tony Parker for the Win, give the Kid some credit, oh and Jason Kidd is still very solid, look what he did to win the title last year.

this is hype or propaganda? they are near .500, 2 rookies on the starters, new coach, they came from 20 wins last TWO years??? minneaponis has to be on fire now…if not, maybe the cause why timberwolves never win is about the “fans”.. c’mon man, enjoy the moment and yes, overrate it a little.. dreams are made of this.

agreed. enough with the propaganda on the twolves. rubio is an average player at best. he has been outplayed but every good point guard in the league (kidd isnt good anymore). they won’t make the playoffs. nba, stop the hype already.

No, he is not just an average player. I agree the hype is big, and maybe the Wolves won’t get to the playoffs this year. But comparing to the last season, where they were the worst team in the league, they are much better. Rubio is the kind of player who improves his mates, so, with some time, this team is probably going to annoy the big franchises. I just think that Derrick Williams was a wasted pick. They should have traded their pick or drafted someone else. I guess Jonas Valanciunas is going to be an excellent guy, and they could wait a year to get him.